“In caring for others and serving heaven, there is nothing like using restraint.  Restraint begins with giving up one’s own ideas.  This depends on Virtue gathered in the past.  If there is a good store of Virtue, then nothing is impossible.  If nothing is impossible, then there are no limits….”  Lao Tzu, 600 BC, translated by Gai-Fu Feng and Jane English 1972.

“Loving, hating, having expectations: All these are attachments.  Attachment prevents the growth of one’s true being.  Therefore the integral being is attached to nothing and can relate to everyone with an unstructured attitude.  Because of this, her very existence benefits all things.”  Lao Tzu,600 BC,  translated by Brian Walker 1992.

“In my dreams last night my friend, tearful, disappointed, said that I had promised that if we faced our “shadow” good thing would follow.  I replied, “No, I said that if we face our shadow, we will be closer to wholeness, and so we can better cope with whatever happens.”  Sometimes I need to listen to my dreams.” Glenda Taylor

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Words of Jesus as remembered by John:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto the Father.  And Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the son.  If ye shall ask me anything in my name, that will I do.”

Book 15, verse 7: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Book 16, verse 23: “…  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name; Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be fulfilled.”

“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  And which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf and he give him a stone?  Or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent?  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask of him?”

“Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent hem two and two before his face in every city and place, whiter he himself was about to come.  And he said unto them…Go your ways…and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you…And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in thy name.  And the said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightening from heaven.  Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.  Howbeit in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”  Jesus, quoted in Luke

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“For if you should enter the temple (of prayer) for no other purpose than asking you shall not receive: And if you should enter into it to humble yourself you shall not be lifted: Or even if you should enter into it to beg for the good of others you shall not be heard.  It is enough that you enter the temple invisible.  I cannot teach you how to pray in words.  God listens not to your words save when He Himself utters them through your lips.  And I cannot teach you the prayer of the seas and the forests and the mountains.  But you who are born of the mountains and the forests and the seas can find their prayer in your heart, and if you but listen in the stillness of the night you shall hear them saying in silence, “Our God, who art our winged self, it is thy will in us that willeth, it is thy desire in us that desireth, it is thy urge in us that would turn our nights, which are thine, into days which are thine also.  We cannot ask thee for aught, for thou Knesset our needs before they are born in us: Thou art our need, and in giving us more of thyself thou gave us all.”  Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, 1923.

“If ye knew God as He ought to be known, ye would walk on the seas, and the mountains would move at your call.”  Muhammad

“The right relation between prayer and conduct is not that conduct is supremely important and prayer may help it; but that prayer is supremely important and conduct tests it.”  William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury.

“He who is about to pray should learn from a common laborer, who sometimes takes a whole day to prepare for a job.  A wood cutter-who spends most of the day sharpening the saw and only the last hour cutting the wood, has earned his day’s wage.”  Mendel of Kotzk

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The Four Great Vows of Zen Buddhism:

However innumerable beings are, I vow to save them;

However inexhaustible the passions are, I vow to extinguish them;

However immeasurable the Dharmas are, I vow to master them;

However incomparable the Buddha-truth is, I vow to attain it.

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“Clinging is never kept without bounds, it is sure to go the wrong way; quit it, and things follow their own course, while the Essence neither departs nor abides.”

From “On Believing in Mind,” by Seng-t”san, Chinese, abt 600.

“Practice Zen while in a world of desires, and the genuine power of intuition is manifested…”

From Yoka Daishi’s “Song of Enlightenment,” Chinese, abt 700.

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Excerpts From The Upanishads, ancient accounts of mystical revelations from the Vedas, Hindu’s oldest  holy scriptures

“Narada once came to Sanatkumara and asked to be taught.  To Sanatkumara’s question, “What have you already studied?” Narada replied that he had studied all the branches of learning–art, science, music, and philosophy, as well as the sacred scriptures.  “But,” said he, “I have gained no peace.  I have studied all this, but the Self I do not know.  I have heard from great teachers like you that he who knows the Self overcomes grief.  Grief is ever my lot.  Help me, I pray you, to overcome it.”

Sanatkumara said: “Whatever you have read is only name.  Meditate on name as Brahman.”

Narada asked: “Is there anything higher than name?”

“Yes, speech is higher than name…Meditate on speech as Brahman.”

“Sir, is there anything higher than speech?”

“Yes, mind is higher than speech…Meditate on mind as Brahman.”

“Sir, is there anything higher than min d?

“Yes, will is higher than mind…Meditate on will as Brahman.”

“Sir is there anything higher than will?”

“Yes, discriminating will is higher than will.  For when a man discriminated by analyzing his past experiences and considering on the basis of these what may come in the future, he rightly wills in the present.  Meditate on discriminating will as Brahman.”

“Sir is there anything higher than discriminating will?”

“Yes, concentration is higher than discriminating will.  Those who reach greatness here on earth reach it through concentration.  Thus, while small and vulgar people are always gossiping and quarreling and for lack of concentration abusing one another, great men, possessing it, obtain their reward.  Meditate on concentration as Brahman.”

“Sir is there anything higher than concentration?

“Yes, insight is higher than concentration…Meditate on insight as Brahman.”…

…”One who knows, meditates upon, and realizes the truth of the Self–such a one delights in the Self, revels in the Self, rejoices in the Self.  He becomes master of himself, and master of all the worlds.  Slaves are those who know not this truths.  He who knows, meditates upon, and realizes this truth of the Self, finds that everything–primal energy, ether, fire, water, and all other elements–mind, will, speech, sacred hymns and scriptures–indeed the whole universe–issues forth from it. ..

…”Indeed, whatsoever such a knower of Brahman may desire, straightway it is his, and having obtained it, he is exalted of men.  The fulfillment of right desires is with reach of everyone, but a veil of illusion obstructs the ignorant. …

…”Do we wish for our beloved, among the living or among the dead, or is there aught else for which we long, yet for all our longing, do not obtain?  Lo, all shall be ours if we but dive deep within, even to the lotus of the heart, where dwells the Lord.  Lea, the object of every right desire is within our reach, though unseen, concealed by a veil of illusion.”

Translation by Swami Prabhavananda and Frederick Manchester, 1975.